Sock drying device



y 1952 A. J. LEONARD, SR

SOCK DRYING DEVICE Filed June 19,. 1950 8 m MM 3L W 5 U WM F/Pbh J- T m 0 w (a A o W J/ F 3 L fi w Z do 2 13 Z 6 F 2 y 4 it ATTORNEY Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I A ,2,59s,s59* v soon DRYING DEVICE Albert J. team, Sr., Glendale, Calif. Application June 19, 1950, Serial No 169,002

My invention relates generally to, wearing apparel, and more particularly to supports: or forms to which socks or stockings may bev applied :for the purpose of drying such articles after being washed, I

'An object of my invention is to rovide a sock drying device which is structurally characterized by a resilient, normally expanded frame whose marginal contour defines foot and ankle portions co-acting to support a wet sock against shrinking while drying, the device embodying simple and conveniently operable means by which the drying frame can be releasably retained in a collapsed position upon movement of the frame thereto, so as to leave both hands of the operator free to apply a wet sock to the frame with the utmost ease and dispatch and without danger of tearing or stretching the sock particularly at the heel portion thereof, all while .enabling the frame to be instantly released from the action of the retaining means, so that under its urging tendency the frame will return to'its expanded, sock-supporting position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sock drying device of the above described character which is of extremely simple, one-piece construction capable of being formed by simple bending operations to cheaply produce the completed article, whereby to enable the device to be sold at a comparatively low cost.

With these and other objects in view, my invention resides in the combinations and arrangements of elements as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, of one form of sock drying device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the sock drying device in side elevation; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention in its illustrated embodiment is preferably constructed from a single length of nonrusting or suitably coated wire to provide a resilient, skeletal frame F the plan of which has the contour of a sock of a predetermined size, when laid fiat, all to define a foot portion Ill and an ankle portion I I. The foot portion I includes front and rear members [2 and I3, respectively, whereas the ankle portion II has front and rear members l4 and I5, respectively, extending from the respective members of the foot portion. The

2 Claims (01. 223-77) Y 2 v members: I4 and I5 are laterally offset towards each other adjacent to their upper ends as indicated at- I 6 and I1, respectively, to conform to the conventional narrowed top of a sock.

The rear members I3 and I5 of the foot and ankle portions, respectively, join to form the heel portion l8, whereas the front and rear members I2 and I3 of the foot portion join to form the toe I9 which provides a spring and fulcrum about which the front members I2 and I4 are urged laterally outward relative to the rear members I3 and I5.

From the upper or free end of the rear ankle member I5 projects a connector arm 20 (Figure 3), the free end of which arm is return bent at 2| about the front ankle member l4 and is extended to provide a second arm 22 parallel to the arm 20. The arms 20 and 22 co-act to define a slot 23 in which the front ankle member M is freely received. Adjacent to its free end, the arm 22 is indented towards the arm 20 to provide a keeper 24 which is beveled at opposite sidesto form cam surfaces 25 and 26 over which the front ankle member I4 is adapted to ride. The free end of the arm 22 is curved towards the arm 20 as indicated at 21 for co-action with the arm 20 and with the keeper 24 in providing an opening 28 in which the front ankle member I4 is adapted to be releasably retained by the keeper 24, so as to maintain the frame F in its contracted or collapsed position as shown in broken lines in Figure 2.

The free upper end of the front ankle member l4 extends beyond the connecting arm I9 for a short distance as indicated by 29 to form a hook 39 by which the device is adapted to be suspended from a clothesline or other support.

In operation, the front members I2 and I4 as one unit, and the rear members I3 and I5 as another unit, are normallyurged away from each other about the toe portion or fulcrum I9 to the extended or expanded position shown in full lines in Figure 2, which position is definitely limited by engagement of the front ankle member with the closed end of the slot 23. It will be noted that the arms 20 and 22 are normally urged towards each other until the keeper 24 and curved end 21 of the arm 22 engage the arm 20 as shown in Figure 3.

To apply a wet sock to the frame F, the frame is first contracted by pressing the front and rear ankle members I4 and I5 towards each other until the front ankle member rides over the cam surface 25 and forces the arm 22 away from the arm 20, so as to enable the front ankle member particularly at the heel portion thereof. Danger of tearing or stretching the sock when applying it to the frame is thus eliminated by the automatic retention of the frame in its contracted position.

When the sock is applied to the frame, the

front ankle member 14 is pressed by the'thumb' in a direction away from the rear ankle'member I5 so as to cause the front ankle member to ride over the other cam surface 26, thus again forcing the arm 22 away from the arm until the member l4 passes the keeper 24 and is free underits' natural urging tendency, to return to itsnormal position shown in .full lines in Figure v2. The sock will now be held taut and will have practically all its surface exposed for the circulation of air to expedite drying. of the sock without. shrinking, when the device is hungby thev hook 30 from a clothesline or other support.

I claim:

1. A drying device of the class described comprising: a skeletal frame having the configuration of a sock when fiat, to provide front ankle and foot members, rear ankle and. foot members joined by a heel portion, and. a resilient, fulcrum-forming toe portion urging the "frame to an expanded position; the freeend of one of said ankle members projecting laterally towards the other ankle member to provide a connector arm; a second arm resiliently connected at one end to said connector arm'and co-acting therewith to define therebetween a slot freely-receiving said other ankle member to definitely'lim'it the expanded position of the frame, yet rendering the latter contractible to freely receive a sock to be dried; and a keeper carried by one of said arms, with which said other ankle member is co-actable to latch the frame in a contracted position so as to leave both hands of the operator free for the application of a wet sock to the frame.

. 2.. A..drying. device of the class described comprising: aframe composed of a length of resilient wire bent into the configuration of a sock when fiat, so as to provide front ankle and foot members, rear ankle and foot members joined by a :heel portion, and a resilient, fulcrum-forming toe portion urging the frame to an expanded positfonrthefree end of one of said ankle memberssbeing .bentlaterally towards the other ankle member to provide a connector arm return bent at its'free end to form a second arm resiliently connected to the connector arm and co-acting therewith to define a. slot receiving said other ankle member to Iimitthe expanded-position of the frame; said second. arm being indented at its-free; end portion towards the connector arm to provide a keeper beveled at opposite sides to form cam: surfaces overrwhichsaid other ankle memberis adaptedto 'ride' to latch the framein amontra-cted po'sitiontforthe application of-a wet sockto the: frame. 1

ALBERT. J. LEONARD, er.

REFERENCES CITED "The following references are of record inthe Handed I. Mar. v2'7, 

